Martin



(No Model.) I

' G. W. MARTIN.

' WRENCH- No. 577;770. I Patented Feb 23, 1897.

GEORGE WASHINGTON MARTIN, OF HENDERSON, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HARRY MORGAN STANLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

WRENCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 577,770, dated l ebruary 23, 1897. Application filedJiln 1, 1896. Serial No. 593,860. lNomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

MARTIN, of Henderson, county of Henderson,

State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in renches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to produce certain improvements in nut and pipe wrenches, which, while they constitute in many respects improvements upon the subject-matter of my Patent No. 480,822, issued January 10, 1893, generally constitute a cheap, simple, and durable wrench that is compact in construction, automatic in its adjustment, and that will work in close corners and without any looseness or lost motion at any point of the adjustment of its jaws.

. In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a side elevation of my wrench, showing the jaws partly expanded and fixed in place upon a section of pipe.- Fig. II is a similar View showing the manner in which the spring-actuated jaw is retracted in practice previous to placing it in position for operation. Fig. III is a view taken at right angles to Fig. I, looking toward the transversely-movable jaw. Fig. IV is a side elevation of the frame detached. Fig. V is an edge view of the same. Referring to the figures on the drawings, 1 indicates the head, and 2 the handle, of my wrench, which constitute its frame, or the structure through which the other parts are assembled. The head is provided upon one side with a fixed jaw-case 3, that is provided with an oblique face 4, and a chamber or recess 5. The chamber 5 accommodates a jaw 6, which I shall hereinafter designate as the longitudinally-movable jaw, being movable lengthwise of the handle 2 within the recess 5, whose sides afford firm bearings for it in its different positions. Although longitudinally movable, the jaw 6 is provided with an oblique engaging or toothed face 7, which, when the jaw is at the forward limit of its movement within the chamber 5, is parallel with the face 4 of the jaw-case 3, but when it is retracted into the chamber it disappears behind the edges which constitute the face 4,

substituting the face 4 with a perfectly smooth Be it known that I, GEORGE WAsHiNoToN 7 surface or jaw in its stead.

I prefer to make the jaw 6 spring-actuated, and for that purpose provide upon it a lug 8, which works within a longitudinal extension 9 of the chamber 5, the upward movement of the jaw (3 being, in this form of construction, limited by the engagement of the lug 8 with the top of the extension-chamber 9. Upon the bottom of the lug 8 I provide a stud or pin 10, around which is coiled a spring 11, that is seated, as indicated at 12, in its opposite end in the bottom of the extension chamber 9/ 13 indicates a transversely-movable jaw, which is provided with an engaging face 14, designed to cooperate with the face7 of the jaw 6, and with a shank 15. The shank is designed to work in an obliquely-disposed way or bearing-slot 16, formed in the part of the head 1 next to the handle 2. The jaw 6 is at right angles to the bottom 17 of the jaw-recess in the head, which is at right angles to the face 4 above described. The angle at which the shank 15 and the jaw 13 meet is such as to bring the j aw-face 14 parallel with the face 4 of the j aW-case 3. By this arrangement the jaw-face 13 is adapted to move to any position required of it from close adjustment against the face 4 tothe limit of movement permitted by the length of the shank 15.

It may be observed that as the jaw 13 approaches its outer limit of adjustment its engagement with the sidewalls of the way 16 becomes narrower. Consequently to avoid looseness of the parts and lost motion in adjustment special provision must be made. With this object in view I prefer to construct the way 16 considerably elongated in crosssection, as is clearly shown in Fig. II, pro- 0 viding its upper part with converging walls 18 and shoulders 19 and enlarging it in its lower part 20, so as to produce confiningshoulders 21, and forming the part 20 in the shape of a square in cross-section. The jaw 5 13 and its shank are made to correspond, being provided with converging walls 22, which are formed to move truly and evenly against the faces of the walls 18.

Shoulders 23 work in like manner upon the I00 shoulders 19, and a confining-flange 24. upon its lower edge fits and works within the part 20. The flange 24, located upon the lower edge of the shank 15, extends a little more than half its length, the edge of the shank being provided upon its remaining extent with screw-teeth 25. j 26 indicates a truncated cone provided with spiral screw-threads 27. The cone is revolubly secured, as by a screw-bolt 28, to the edge of the handle 2 upon its side adjacent to the jaw-casing 3. The threads 27 of the cone 26 engage with the teeth of the shank 15, so that by the rotation of the cone the jaw may be adjusted to any required position. More over, by the arrangement described the han dle is interposed between the screw-cone and the jaw 13, whereby the utmost rigidity of connection between the parts is secured. The screw-threads 27 are preferably flat and knurled upon their outer edges, as illustrated. I prefer to provide means for actuating the jaw 6 from the outside, and for that purpose employ bolts 28, which work in longitudinal slots 29 in the opposite walls of the extensionchamber 9, and which are provided with dishshaped heads 30, which may be grasped between the thumb and finger of an operator for retracting the jaw 6 into the chamber 5, against the force of the spring 11. In operation this mode is adopted: The operator retracts the jaw 6 until the smooth face 4 of the jaw is exposed opposite the jaw-face 14.

The wrench is then slipped in place and the jaw 13 adjusted by means of the cone-screw 26, when, upon releasing the bolt-heads 30, the jaw 6 is thrust into the required position by means of the spring 11.

What I claim is 1. In a wrench, the combination with a handle, head, and smooth jaw-face on the head, of a jaw-chamber in the head adjacent to the j aw-face and longitudinally disposed with respect to the handle, a spring-actuated jaw 'working within the chamber, and a transversely-adjustable jaw in the head, substantially as set forth.

2. In a wrench, the combination with a handle, head, and jaw on the head, of a movable jaw having an inclined shank, a way for the jaw and shank in the head, screw-teeth upon the shank and a screw-cone upon the handle in operative engagement with the teeth on the shank, substantially as set forth.

3. In awrench, the combination with a handle,'head, and jaw thereon, of a movable jaw, a jaw-shank working obliquely in the head, a cone pivoted to the handle upon the side opposite to the movable jaw, and cooperating threads upon the shank and the cone, respectively, substantially as set forth.

4. In awrench, the combination with a handle, head and jaw-face thereon, of a movable jaw adjustable to and from the jaw-face, a jaw-chamber adjacent to the face and the .head, a movable jaw workin g in the chamber,

slots in the opposite walls of the chamber, and projecting elements working in the slots and affording to an operator means for grasping and actuating the jaw within the chamber, substantially as set forth.

5. In awrench, the combination with a handle and head, and smooth jaw-face in the head opposite the handle, of a jaw-chamber in the head adjacent to the smooth face, a springactuated jaw working in the chamber, a transversely-adjustable jaw, and toothed shank formed integral therewith, and a screw-cone secured to the handle in operative relation to the shank, substantially as specified.

6. In a wrench, the combination with a handle, head and jaw thereon, of a spring-actuated movable jaw working obliquely in the head, a transversely-movable jaw and shank formed integral therewith, and a way'or bearing-slot in the head for the reception of the jaw and shank, the way and the jaw, respectively, being provided with correlative converging walls, shoulders surmounting the same, and a cone-screw secured to the handle in operative relation to the shank, substantially as specified.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GEORGE WASHINGTON MARTIN. Witnesses:

J. L. DORSEY, J. S. POWELL. 

